ABSTRACT
For a future Moon landing, a concept for an in-situ NAA involving age determination using the (40)Ar-(39)Ar method is developed. A neutron source (252)Cf is chosen for sample irradiation on the Moon. A special sample-in-source irradiation geometry is designed to provide a homogeneous distribution of neutron flux at the irradiation position. Using reflector, the neutron flux is likely to increase by almost 200%. Sample age of 1Ga could be determined. Elemental analysis using INAA is discussed.
ABSTRACT
At the 28th Plenary Meeting of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) in The Hague, The Netherlands, there was on June 28, 1990, a session of commission MF.1 on Impact of Human Expeditions to Mars, in which, among others, the benefits of manned Mars missions for the geological survey of Mars were discussed. The present commentary does not intend to discuss the pros and cons of manned space flight or of Mars exploration at large, but will reiterate some of the points made in that discussion concerning the justification of manned versus automated Mars exploration in the context of geologic sciences.
